Whether you're dipping your toes into the waters of an individual defensive player (IDP) fantasy league for the first time or diving headfirst into the deep end of your longtime IDP league, it's probably in your best interest to get some outside perspective. Drafting IDPs is not for the faint of heart, and succeeding in IDP leagues means doing your due diligence.
Let the Sporting News' 2025 IDP draft guide do some of the legwork for you. Like we do each year, the mission behind this file is simple: help you gain a better understanding of which IDP players to target, and also explain why each stud, sleeper, or value pick will be worth your while this draft season.
How early should one target a linebacker who stuffs the tackle stat boxes? How much value do the sack-happy defensive linemen yield? Which defensive backs' on-field strengths translate to fantasy gold? We know your questions before you even ask them.
DOMINATE YOUR DRAFT: Fantasy Football Draft Kit 2025
Fear not, friends — your answers lie below. This column will rank the top 20 players at each major IDP position, highlight the top sleepers worth targeting, and serve up some strategy along the way.
It doesn't need to be difficult just because it's different. With some basic knowledge and understanding of the format, the IDP format can make for some of the most fantasy fun you've ever had.
Let's get to our 2025 Fantasy Football IDP Draft Guide, and get you ready and in position to dominate your league.
Fantasy Football IDP draft guide 2025: Strategy
Target tackles from high-usage linebackers
Everyone always wants workhorse running backs, but it's also vital to pinpoint workhorse linebackers — specifically the run-stuffers. Look for the LBs who annually lead the league in snap counts and solo tackles, and you'll go far.
Quarterbacks like Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson might be the most important position players in football, but linebackers like Zaire Franklin and Roquan Smith are easily the most important IDP position players. Elite LBs can help with high tackle counts, interceptions, fumbles, passes defended, tackles for loss, and more.
Of course, that doesn't mean you have to pick a linebacker before anyone else in your league even considers it. Determine your tiers early so you ensure you select at least one Tier-1 LB and one Tier-2 LB. You don't want to overpay or risk losing out on value at other positions, especially when multiply high-usage LBs exist.
You ultimately want to land 'backers who play all three downs and eat tackles like Harold and Kumar eat White Castle. Durability and availability are huge, too. And don't be discouraged by LBs on bad teams — they're spending a lot of time on the field because their offenses stink, and they're motivated to either get traded to a good team or land a future contract with a contender.
PPR RANKINGS: Top 300 | QB | RB | WR | TE | DST | K
Defensive Backs
I don't claim to speak for the entire community of fantasy football analysts, but as a multi-year winner of an IDP league, I can tell you one thing: I will only take safeties at the defensive back position.
I have zero interest in taking a cornerback, not even future Defensive Player of the Year Christian Gonzalez (just a Patriots' fan joke, lighten up). Budda Baker and Brian Branch, however — hubba-hubba (and not just for their alliteration-friendly names).
Here's why stud safeties are vastly more important than elite cornerbacks: they need to rack up more stats to succeed at their jobs.
Cornerbacks can blanket receivers and not even draw a target to contest. Safeties need to help the entire defensive unit with touchdown-saving tackles, highlight-reel breakups, and bone-crushing forced fumbles.
Safeties always provide more total tackles on a week-to-week basis.
And safety tackles are always more predictable and consistent than cornerback interceptions or passes defended. A stud cornerback can allow zero catches and score zero points — how fun is that? Target the counting stats, and the IDP wins will come.
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Defensive Linemen
Just like we target safeties over cornerbacks at defensive back, we also want defensive ends and edge rushers over defensive tackles at defensive linemen. DEs will provide more points via sacks, tackles, tackles for loss, forced fumbles, and fumble recoveries.
Don't wait too long to draft an elite pass-rusher. There are usually about 7-8 stud sack artists available, and you don't want to be the guy left without one after the first wave of DEs occurs in your draft.
Guys like Maxx Crosby and Trey Hendrickson can be almost as valuable as the top-end linebackers, so don't sleep when those elite pocket invaders are flying off the board.
2025 FANTASY FOOTBALL DRAFT SLEEPERS: QB | RB | WR | TE | DST | Deep Sleepers | 1 From Each Team
Defensive schemes
Our friends at Fantasy Alarm have spoken about this for the Sporting News for years: Know each team's defensive schemes.
If a team operates with three defensive linemen, it's a 3-4 scheme, and the outside linebackers yield more value than the DEs. The OLBs will collect sacks and tackles while the DEs clog the running lanes.
Now, in a 4-3 defense, the middle linebackers and defensive ends yield value. The DEs and edge rushers will rack up sacks, while the MLBs will tally a bunch of sacks as the head honcho of the unit.
The outside 'backers in a 4-3 will eat, too, as there will typically be plenty of tackles to go around.
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Fantasy Football IDP draft guide 2025: Rankings
Linebacker Player Rankings
1. Zaire Franklin, Colts
2. Roquan Smith, Ravens
3. Fred Warner, 49ers
4. Foyesade Oluokun, Jaguars
5. Zack Baun, Eagles
6. Terrel Bernard, Bills
7. Jamien Sherwood, Jets
8. Robert Spillane, Patriots
9. T.J. Edwards, Bears
10. Ernest Jones IV, Seahawks
11. Bobby Wagner, Commanders
12. Kaden Elliss, Falcons
13. Daiyan Henley, Chargers
14. Logan Wilson, Bengals
15. Alex Singleton, Broncos
16. Edgerrin Cooper, Packers
17. Jordyn Brooks, Dolphins
18. Jack Campbell, Lions
19. Blake Cashman, Vikings
20. Lavonte David, Bucs
Spotlight on sleepers: We can't stay away from Robert Spillane and Edgerrin Cooper this draft season.
Spillane tied for third in the NFL in total tackles last season, and he now joins a premier defense in New England with former linebacker Mike Vrabel as his head coach.
Cooper might be the most explosive linebacker in the league, but few people have been paying enough attention to Green Bay's defense to realize it.
These guys could both be difference-makers in your IDP league this season, and they're both falling past LB10 in some drafts. Consider scooping them after the first seven or eight 'backers go off the board.
Defensive Back Player Rankings
1. Brian Branch, Lions
2. Kyle Hamilton, Ravens
3. Budda Baker, Cardinals
4. Jessie Bates III, Falcons
5. Julian Love, Seahawks
6. Derwin James Jr., Chargers
7. Antoine Winfield Jr., Bucs
8. Grant Delpit, Browns
9. DeShon Elliott, Steelers
10. Kevin Byard III, Bears
11. Jeremy Chinn, Raiders
12. Jaquan Brisker, Bears
13. Tyler Nubin, Giants
14. Brandon Jones, Broncos
15. Devon Witherspoon, Seahawks
16. Minkah Fitzpatrick, Dolphins
17. Reed Blankenship, Eagles
18. Xavier McKinney, Packers
19. Nick Cross, Colts
20. Jordan Battle, Bengals
Spotlight on sleepers: Kevin Byard did a heck of a lot of damage to opposing offenses last season, yet he's flying somewhat under the radar in drafts. The guy had 130 total tackles last year — 80 solo, 50 assisted — and he has played 16-plus games in 9/9 seasons in the NFL.
Perennial Pro Bowler Minkah Fitzpatrick had a relatively tame 2024 season, by his standards. But now that he's in Miami, he will need to go back to his ballhawking and playmaking ways.
The Dolphins' defense could spend a lot of time on the field this season, so the 28-year-old could flirt with a fourth All-Pro selection.
Defensive Linemen Player Rankings
1. Maxx Crosby, Raiders
2. Myles Garrett, Browns
3. Micah Parsons, Cowboys
4. Trey Hendrickson, Bengals
5. Aidan Hutchinson, Lions
6. T.J. Watt, Steelers
7. Nick Bosa, 49ers
8. Will Anderson Jr., Texans
9. Jared Verse, Rams
10. Jonathan Greenard, Vikings
11. Alex Highsmith, Steelers
12. Harold Landry II, Patriots
13. Greg Rousseau, Bills
14. Andrew Van Ginkel, Vikings
15. Nik Bonitto, Broncos
16. Leonard Williams, Seahawks
17. Laiatu Latu, Colts
18. Travon Walker, Jaguars
19. Nolan Smith Jr., Eagles
20. Josh Hines-Allen, Jaguars
Spotlight on aleepers: It's easy to see Jared Verse ascending from Defensive Rookie of the Year and Pro Bowler to top-five edge rusher in the game.
The Rams' 24-year-old phenom sits just outside our elite eight at this position, but you would have to be a fool to pick anybody outside our top 10 over him.
Leonard Williams and Laiatu Latu both yield plenty of value at their ADPs.
Williams just made his second Pro Bowl after logging 11 sacks and 16 tackles for loss, and Big Cat seems as motivated as ever now that he's found a home in Seattle. Latu did a lot of good things in his rookie season, and he seems destined for a usage boost in his sophomore campaign.